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will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

hey all. i'll be making my first trip to the us in a couple of weeks to visit my fiancee, and i'll be staying in nyc for a week from the 11th to the 18th.

i don't have many ideas about what to do, i'm primarily concerned about good places to eat, and i was hoping people who had visited/lived in nyc had some recommendations for good eats.

i was also planning to catch a knicks game (a knicks game is better than no nba at all, am i right?), and they play the magic on the 16th, so i was hoping i could make that work too. is ticketmaster the best option? the prices seem kinda steep for even the crappiest seats, but maybe that's because it's ny...

also planning to go to a show at the comedy cellar.

damn, i sound so tourist-y.

i'll be staying first in the upper west side, and then in the fashion district, if that helps/is relevant in any way.

Re: will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

Re: will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

I'll preface this by saying that typically when I've been in NYC I haven't really done the traditional sit-down restaurant thing. So if that's what you're looking for, I'm not going to be that helpful. That said, here are a few places off the top of my head...

Re: will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

If you go to NYC again and are looking to go to an NBA game, you should try the Nets. It's loads cheaper, you just take a train out of Penn station (it's usually the first stop) not even a ten minute ride, and walk a few blocks. I actually like that stadium better than Madison Square Garden. Unfortunately, they are on a road trip the entire time you'll be there.

For food, if you aren't looking for fun touristy place, I'd suggest not eating anywhere in Times Square. Tourist trap...

But if you don't mind that stuff, I'd suggest Carmines, it's a family style Italian restaurant. I'd also suggest katz deli, for a new york experience. It's pretty good, although usually a lot of people are there.

Re: will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

If you go to NYC again and are looking to go to an NBA game, you should try the Nets. It's loads cheaper, you just take a train out of Penn station (it's usually the first stop) not even a ten minute ride, and walk a few blocks. I actually like that stadium better than Madison Square Garden. Unfortunately, they are on a road trip the entire time you'll be there.

For food, if you aren't looking for fun touristy place, I'd suggest not eating anywhere in Times Square. Tourist trap...

But if you don't mind that stuff, I'd suggest Carmines, it's a family style Italian restaurant. I'd also suggest katz deli, for a new york experience. It's pretty good, although usually a lot of people are there.

yeah, i looked up the nets games beforehand, turned out they aren't at home that week, like you said.

i'd partly been wary about katz's because of how every tourist seems to go there, but i guess i'll be going there if you say it's that good. thanks for the carmine's rec. does it matter which location i go to (UWS vs theatre district)?

Re: will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

Hands down UCB Theatre! If you go to the 9 PM shows (sometimes the 7 show?) on the weekend you have a great chance of seeing more than a few popular comedians do improv. Best part, the shows can be free, donations, $10 or less and Pabst is $3. You want to get there ar least an hour before showtime to wait in line as it is a small inimate theatre and you want to get a seat. I've seen people from the Office, Fligh of Concords, SNL, etc. for next to nothing. I've gone maybe ten times and on the weekend there has always been a few popular comedians getting in on acts. I'm actually going this Friday so I'll post if anyone of note shows. Keep in mind that there is no guarantee that guests will show up, but either way it's a cheap and always hilarious great time.

Re: will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

Hands down UCB Theatre! If you go to the 9 PM shows (sometimes the 7 show?) on the weekend you have a great chance of seeing more than a few popular comedians do improv. Best part, the shows can be free, donations, $10 or less and Pabst is $3. You want to get there ar least an hour before showtime to wait in line as it is a small inimate theatre and you want to get a seat. I've seen people from the Office, Fligh of Concords, SNL, etc. for next to nothing. I've gone maybe ten times and on the weekend there has always been a few popular comedians getting in on acts. I'm actually going this Friday so I'll post if anyone of note shows. Keep in mind that there is no guarantee that guests will show up, but either way it's a cheap and always hilarious great time.

Re: will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

thanks, have you been to the comedy cellar? i love louis ck's work and i was hoping to visit there.

the ucb theatre looks great too, i see scott adsit and john lutz (both of 30 rock) in the list of performers.

I got to see ASSSSCAT 3000 a few times with them, it was the best. That weird guy from the ESPN commercials that obsesses on NBA players killed it. Louis CK is great, is he performing at Comedy Cellar? I have never been there, but I think I had some friends go see Jim Breuer there for fairly cheap ($30 a ticket?)

Re: will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

yeah, i looked up the nets games beforehand, turned out they aren't at home that week, like you said.

i'd partly been wary about katz's because of how every tourist seems to go there, but i guess i'll be going there if you say it's that good. thanks for the carmine's rec. does it matter which location i go to (UWS vs theatre district)?

If you get a reservation I don't think it matters. I've only been to the one in Times Square.

I'd also suggest eating somewhere in Little Italy/getting Pizza at pretty much any restaurant (not in Times Square). I personally love NYC pizza, and have yet to have a bad one.

Re: will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

Gray's Papaya, as mentioned above, is also very very good. There are several around Manhattan. Try Shake Shack too, which also has several locations.

If you are in Chinatown there are several cheap eateries there. You can get Chinese cheaper in NYC than in Indy or anywhere else.

I went to a game in the Garden in 2004. It's a great venue to watch a game. You feel closer to the action than you do at Conseco. I bet the Garden looks great after the renovation.

Honestly, my favorite thing to do in NYC is to just walk the streets and soak in the energy of the place. There is nothing like the pulse of Midtown Manhattan. Just take some walks on 5th avenue, Lexington, Madison, 6th, etc and mix in some of the cross streets. It's a great experience and there's nothing like it anywhere.

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Re: will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

Also, I know you are staying on the Upper West Side and in the Fashion District, but be sure to check out Lower Manhattan while you are there. It is such a charming area. There is certainly nothing like Midtown and you could be happy if you never left there, but you really do need to checkout Lower Manhattan if you want the full NYC experience. It's SoHo, Chinatown, Wall Street, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty (just off the bottom of the island), New York Harbor, Ground Zero, beautiful skyscrapers, old churches, etc. Also, while nearly all of Manhattan is laid on the perfect grid, Lower Manhattan still has the funky narrow windy streets that were laid by the Dutch 400 years ago. That adds to the charm.

So much of our nation's history has taken place there: from George Washington's inauguration to the destruction on 9/11 200 years later. It is such a rich and historical area. Try to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge if the weather is nice, even if you only go halfway. It gives you a great view of Manhattan island.

Also, l think Katz's is well worth it. Delicious authentic sandwiches (get the mix of Pastrami and Corned Beef). It didn't seem very touristy when I went there, it's just a very well known place. It's much better than the Carnegie, IMO. The Carnegie gives you so much meat that you can't even eat the damn thing as a sandwich, especially considering that they give you tiny slices of bread that are the size of those that come from a supermarket loaf. I like getting hearty portions, but the Carnegie gives you so much that it's almost unappetizing. Go to Katz's where you can actually enjoy eating it as a sandwich.

Re: will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

Also, I know you are staying on the Upper West Side and in the Fashion District, but be sure to check out Lower Manhattan while you are there. It is such a charming area. There is certainly nothing like Midtown and you could be happy if you never left there, but you really do need to checkout Lower Manhattan if you want the full NYC experience. It's SoHo, Chinatown, Wall Street, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty (just off the bottom of the island), New York Harbor, Ground Zero, beautiful skyscrapers, old churches, etc. Also, while nearly all of Manhattan is laid on the perfect grid, Lower Manhattan still has the funky narrow windy streets that were laid by the Dutch 400 years ago. That adds to the charm.

So much of our nation's history has taken place there: from George Washington's inauguration to the destruction on 9/11 200 years later. It is such a rich and historical area. Try to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge if the weather is nice, even if you only go halfway. It gives you a great view of Manhattan island.

Also, l think Katz's is well worth it. Delicious authentic sandwiches (get the mix of Pastrami and Corned Beef). It didn't seem very touristy when I went there, it's just a very well known place. It's much better than the Carnegie, IMO. The Carnegie gives you so much meat that you can't even eat the damn thing as a sandwich, especially considering that they give you tiny slices of bread that are the size of those that come from a supermarket loaf. I like getting hearty portions, but the Carnegie gives you so much that it's almost unappetizing. Go to Katz's where you can actually enjoy eating it as a sandwich.

Really, Shapiro's in Indy can hold it's own against any NYC place.

ok, i'll really be going to katz's now. if you say their pastrami is good i think i'll be having a reubens or something... and i think i'll be going to the brooklyn bridge, thanks for the suggestion (as long as it's not raining or snowing)

i'll probably be catching a show at the lincoln centre/broadway, going to the comedy cellar, AMNH, skating at rock/central park, and the rest should be sightseeing. i'll definitely be checking out lower manhattan, not sure if i'll be going to liberty island though, might not have the time. not really a big fan of sightseeing, i like doing/watching stuff better.

thank you all for the suggestions! less than a week now, i'm really excited, haven't been out of korea for 5 years now... itching to go somewhere fun

Re: will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

Well, I couldn't go to UCB on Friday so I only saw regular improv teams when I went during the weekday (was still real funny). UCB was closed New Years day so I couldn't see ASSSSCAT 3000, but I guess it is still going on. So I would urge you to go Sunday and see the best show in the world.

I went to the Nets Pacers game. The train from Penn Station to Newark Station was only $10 round trip and under 20 minutes (though I think I could of taken PATH using my metro card and left from WTC) and I got 2 tix 5 rows up center court for only $30 each on StubHub. Prundential is right down the streen as soon as you step out of the station and it was awesome. Great arena and about a dozens Pacer fans.

I recommend getting the week long unlimited metro pass. Even if you are not going to Brooklyn and such, you can use up $20 on a card fairly quickly and unlimited is $29.

Best places I ate were the Alligator Lounge, Land Thai, and Meatball Shop.

Meatball Shop and Land Thai were just amazingly good. Alligator Lounge gives you a free 10 inch pizza with every drink you buy! Not just a slice, a personal pizza with every drink.

Fat Cat and Terra Blues had the best music. $3 cover for Fat Cat, great jazz and cheap drinks. The place is huge, but doesn't look it outside. Ping pong tables, pool, shuffle board, board game, etc. with a great live musice. Fun place.

Terra Blues is $10 cover, check to see when Michael Powers is playing, I'm pretty sure he plays there a couple times a week. It's as close as you will get to Hendrix.

Re: will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

Re: will be in nyc for a week, any recommendations?

haha, what a necro... thanks for asking, atc. it was great! wish i could have stayed for more than a week, and can't wait to go back in july/august when i start law school. not looking forward to the rents though, but that's a different story.

i went to wollman to skate, it was pretty nice especially as we were there from 5-7 and seeing the light change.

from your suggestions, i ended up going to junior's after watching memphis at the shubert theatre, also went to stage restaurant + pomme frites straight after that seeing as they were across the street from each other or something. stage was pretty nice, a little small, but the guy working there was great, and they make a mean pierogi..

in little italy i went to rubirosa near prince street... also great.

ended up not having enough time to do all the stuff that i wanted, no comedy cellar, no knicks game (dunno if that's a good or a bad thing though), none of the bars that billbradley mentioned. it was fun though, and i'll be there for the next three years from this year onwards anyway.